WEYMOUTH, Massachusetts -- A veteran Massachusetts police officer is vowing to appeal his firing, saying the fact he secretly videotaped himself having sex with two women in his apartment on his own time is his own business.
However, the governing Board of Selectmen in Weymouth, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Boston, rejected that argument and voted unanimously Tuesday night to fire Officer Richard Sjoberg.
The selectmen found that Sjoberg's videotaping his own sexual encounters to be a violation of public trust and unbecoming an officer. He reportedly offered to show the tapes to other officers.
The two women, who did not realize they were being videotaped in separate incidents in 1992, testified Tuesday night before the selectmen, saying they were humiliated and devastated by the tapes. They are expected to sue the officer.
The tapes were turned over to authorities by a woman with whom the officer was living at the time, the daughter of another Weymouth police officer. He previously said he intentionally left the tape for her to find so she would leave him.
Sjoberg's attorney said the firing will be appealed to the civil service.
